Free Republic

In the weeks since a federal judge in Florida struck down the federal mask mandate for planes and other transportation settings, Americans have met the change with a mix of excitement and concern. Some travelers welcomed the news, even cheering on planes when pilots announced the ruling. For others, the prospect of flying with unmasked seatmates has been a source of anxiety. The Justice Department said it would appeal the decision, but the rule has been dropped for the time being. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends wearing a mask on flights. If you are nervous about...

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has announced a years-long delay for the delivery of U.S. howitzers, citing limited American production capacity, in a blow to the island democracy’s military upgrades. A second delivery of Stinger antiaircraft missiles may also be affected. Neither delay has been directly connected to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but American military aid to Kyiv’s forces is reportedly depleting weapons stockpiles and straining production. Unless an alternative is agreed to, delivery for the first batch has been pushed back from 2023 to 2026 at the earliest, during which Taiwan would remain reliant on decades-old artillery systems. Recently...